ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – It as a strong start to the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires season for Neil Alberico.

The Los Gatos, Calif., resident swept the Allied Building Products Grand Prix of St. Petersburg doubleheader on the 1.8-mile, 14-turn street circuit in a Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing car.

Alberico started from the pole in the 30-minute second race and was in control throughout. Jose Gutierrez, from Monterrey, Mexico, finished second for defending champion Juncos Racing, while Alberico's teammate, Canadian rookie Daniel Burkett, secured his first podium finish in third.

Alberico also had the quickest qualifying lap for the 23-lap Race 1 and went on to a 4.6819-second win – his first in the series. Santiago Urrutia finished second for Palmetto, Fla.-based Team Pelfrey and Alberico's teammate, Florian Latorre, finished third. Latorre, last year's winner of the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda and MAZDASPEED scholarship, started 10th.

"We didn't get much testing in the offseason, since the deal came together at the last minute,” Alberico said. “We were a little behind the eight-ball, since the other drivers had more time behind the wheel and more momentum. For me, just to be on the grid to start the season was going to be great. So to have this kind of result for everyone who has supported me was incredible. This is the best start to a season I've ever had; I've had misfortune here in the past but everything comes full circle.

“This is a great way to start the season, for me and for the team. We had two Cape cars on the podium both days. Now we're looking forward to NOLA in two weeks."

The Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires will have another doubleheader at NOLA Motorsports Park in Avondale, La., on April 10-12.